Connections hints and definitions for November 8, 2023

From the New York Times, Connections tasks you with finding the hidden relationships between 4 groups of 4 words in only 4 guesses.

The trick to completing the puzzle in time is differentiating between which words can be placed in multiple categories, so that’s where our Connections hints come in handy, helping you to figure out the correct placement of particularly tough words.

Sometimes it’s as easy as thinking about the alternative definitions that words can have. That’s why we’ve listed the definitions of all of the words that appear in today’s Connections puzzle for you to mull over.

Next we’ve given you a few clues about the categories you’re looking for, as well as some alternative words you could use as synonyms too.

If all of that’s not enough, we’ve also listed the full answers below - hidden behind a spoiler tag to avoid accidents, of course!

Connections definitions for November 8, 2023

• Hedge - Bushes or shrubs used as a dividing boundary between areas, or qualify a point of view or position to limit potential negative consequences
• Breeze - A light wind, or when something is easy
• Sunscreen - A cream that protects the wearer’s skin from sun damage
• Curly - A long thread that twists around itself in a coil or spiral
• Shoestring - A thin thread, or a very tight budget
• Umbrella - An accessory used for shielding oneself from the rain or sun, or the overarching structure of an organisation
• Mary - A common forename
• Yo-yo - A children’s toy that can be yanked up and down on a string, or to flit between two points of view
• Mule - A crossbreed between a male donkey and a female horse, a workmanly person who is like a beast of burden, or someone who is forced to smuggle drugs
• Waver - Move back and forth in a quivering motion, or be unsure of something
• Towel - A textured piece of fabric for drying things
• See-saw - A piece of playground equipment which goes up and down on either side of a fixed point, or to flip between two positions
• Russian - Someone or something from Russia
• Flip-flop - An open-toed sandal, or indecision on an issue
• Waffle - A food made of fried batter, or something with a similar close, squared texture
• Wedge - A thick piece of wood or other material, the heel of a shoe, or a chunky piece of potato

Connections hints for November 8, 2023

• Group 1 hint: Ryan Gosling’s Ken needs these things for his job - Alternative words: Snorkel, Parasol, Ball
• Group 2 hint: An american favorite with a european name - Alternative words: Cheese, Chili, Crinkle
• Group 3 hint: These words are neither one thing nor the other - Alternative words: Dither, Wobble, Falter
• Group 4 hint: These words are one part of some very spirited drinks - Alternative words: Island, Woo, Martini

Connections answers for November 8, 2023

Click or press on the spoiler tags below to reveal the hidden Connections answers.

• Group 1 answer: “Brought to the Beach” - Flip-flop, Sunscreen, Towel, Umbrella
• Group 2 answer: “Types of French Fries” - Curly, Shoestring, Waffle, Wedge
• Group 3 answer: “Equivocate” - Hedge, See-saw, Waver, Yo-yo
• Group 4 answer: “Second Words of Vodka Cocktails” - Breeze, Mary, Mule, Russian

How did you do with today’s Connections? “Flip-flop” was tough alongside See-saw, Yo-yo and Waver, and I’ve literally never heard of shoestring french fries…

But I think hedge was the key. If you sussed its alternative meaning as in “hedging your bets” then beachwear and cocktails fell nicely into place.